The new project will contribute to overcoming the challenge of educating the youth of Djibouti, but it is not enough. The Ministry of National Education and Vocational Training and education donors have... Show More + come together behind a three-year education sector plan (Plan d’Action de l’Education 2014-2016), calling for an additional US$25 million dollars of international investment in pre-primary, primary, middle and secondary education, including technical and vocational training. At US$3.8 million dollars, the new project is important but responds only to a portion of the overall need. Using the five years (2008-2013) as a benchmark, according to World Bank data, Djibouti has increased access to primary school by 1.6% per year. At this rate, universal access to primary school won’t be achieved until 2040. The education plan calls for much more rapid increases, but complete and on-time implementation of the plan is not likely without additional resources and capacity. A quantitative jump Show Less -

The torrential rain that caused flooding and landslides across Bosnia and Herzegovina last May displaced 90,000 people, affected more than 1 million and cost the economy about 15 percent of gross... Show More + domestic product (GDP) in lost output and damage. In Northern India and Pakistan, flooding in September brought nearly $18 billion in losses and marked the fifth consecutive year Pakistan suffered a billion-dollar flood. Natural disasters of this magnitude and worse occur almost every year around the world, disproportionately hitting developing countries with an economic force that can roll back their development gains and exacerbate inequality. Without efforts to build resilience, such disasters can make development investments unsustainable.“Resilience and development are inextricably linked. When we invest in infrastructure, we have to invest not just for today but for the future, and that means building resilience into everything we do,” said Rachel Kyte, World Bank Group vi Show Less -

Djibouti is preparing for the future. The small country on the Horn of Africa has outlined an ambitious set of goals it hopes to achieve over the next two decades. These goals are the result of careful... Show More + research, assisted by the World Bank, to identify under-exploited sectors of the economy with the potential to generate sustainable growth. The results of the exercise were collected in a document, ‘Djibouti Vision 2035’ that serves as the government’s blueprint for development.Ilyas Moussa Dawaleh, Djibouti’s Minister of Economy and Finance, in charge of Industry, recently recalled that at independence in 1977 his country had only one high school, one street and two doctors. Djibouti has since taken advantage of its strategic position at the mouth of the Red Sea, along one of the world’s busiest shipping lanes, to develop an important maritime port and establish the foundations for a burgeoning commercial hub. Djibouti still faces high levels of poverty, and is committed to doing m Show Less -

Djibouti is vulnerable to external shocks, such as surging food and fuel prices, and natural disasters. From 2007 to 2011, severe drought led to losses equivalent to 3.9 percent of Gross Domestic Product... Show More + per year. The global financial crisis, subsequent drought, high urban density and unemployment, and limited access to basic services, have resulted in poor social and health indicators. High poverty levels persist.In 2012, the rural food security situation was defined as “critical” with three-quarters of households found severely or moderately food insecure. The under-five mortality rate is still estimated at 68 deaths for 1,000 live births, with over 17.8 percent of children under five years found poorly nourished. The prevalence of moderate and severe stunting of children’s growth is 29.7 percent.Djibouti’s government responded to the crisis by investing in infrastructure, private sector development, and human capital. As part of this, it piloted its first nutrition-based socia Show Less -

The millions of workers, consumers, and entrepreneurs who bear the cost of this are often unaware the impact these policies have on the opportunities to which they aspire. In Egypt, for example, aggregate... Show More + employment growth declines by about 1.4 percentage points a year when connected firms enter new business sectors. Without grasping this, the internal debate critical for economic reform is curtailed.In economies in MENA, like economies everywhere else, it is the start-ups and the most productive firms that are the engines of job creation. The report provides plenty of evidence to support this: in Lebanon, about 177 per cent of net job creation from 2005 to 2010 was generated by micro start-ups; in Tunisia, small startups created 580,000 jobs from 1996 to 2010—92 percent of all net job creation. Although it has fewer start-ups overall, Jordan provides a striking example of what entrepreneurs can achieve against the odds. Unable to tap start-up capital, a Jordanian couple who retur Show Less -

The success of the program allowed the WSC to de commission two desalination plants and reduce the level of water extraction from the island’s aquifer to levels not seen since the 1960s. The leakage in... Show More + the water distribution network “was around 4000m3/hr in 1995, yet [has] decreased to below 450m3/hr today”, according to Stephan Riolo, executive director of the network’s infrastructure in Malta.Malta clearly had lessons to share in reducing water losses and operating desalination plants. As part of their program of support for MENA countries, the World Bank therefore organized a conference on the small Mediterranean island that brought together 30 senior officials from major water utilities in Morocco, Tunisia, Libya, Lebanon, the Palestinian Territories and Yemen.All the countries that participated are facing similar problems and have keen interest in reducing losses and improving the management of their water supply. Most said that in their experience, however, reducing water losses Show Less -

ARADO is the training arm of the Arab League, and the Network of Experts is tapping into it to facilitate a regional training program that builds on existing resources in the various countries, addresses... Show More + common challenges, and capitalizes on existing strengths.“When it comes to the effectiveness of public procurement,” said MENA Regional Procurement Manager, Yolanda Tayler, “it is striking how similar many of the challenges that MENA countries face are, and how little has been done in the past to take advantage of cross-border training programs.”Capacity building programs often have problems in common. These include a lack of sufficient funding, the lack of an assessment of existing skills and competencies—and gaps—and the frequent exodus of highly-qualified staff to other government positions or to private companies offering higher pay.Many countries have taken a highly fragmented approach to capacity building, and have not yet been able to build a body of knowledge within the country Show Less -

The Middle East and North Africa (MENA) is the most water scarce region in the world, and its water stress is likely to worsen. In 1950, per capita renewable water resources were four times greater than... Show More + they are today. By 2050, there are indications indicate that natural water resources in MENA will drop even further, to 11 times less than the global average.Droughts hit the region with punishing regularity, bringing significant water shortages, economic losses, and adverse social consequences. Between 2008 and 2011, drought in Djibouti caused a yearly economic contraction of approximately 3.9 percent of GDP.Droughts are the third most prevalent hazard in MENA after earthquakes, but despite the alarming levels of water scarcity, the opposite, floods, also pose significant danger in MENA too.The 2008 floods in Yemen caused damages totaling US$1.6 billion, or six percent of the country’s gross domestic product (GDP). The 2009 floods in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, brought loss Show Less -

In five years, the DMF has reached out to more than 70 countries. It has provided training to more than 600 country officials. The work of the trust fund ranges from technical trainings for debt managers... Show More + to expert guidance on formulating debt management reform plans. It also funds country-based assessments of debt management performance and helps countries develop individual debt strategies."It's targeted, it's versatile, and it's very accessible for our clients in developing countries," said Jeffrey Lewis, director of the Economic Policy, Debt and Trade Department.Through the DMF, which is currently funded by seven countries, the European Union, and the African Development Bank, qualified debt managers from developing countries work side-by-side with debt experts at the World Bank during three-month mentorships in Washington, DC.Stella Rusine, a debt manager in the Rwandan government, has participated in several DMF-sponsored trainings, and was in the middle of the Washingto Show Less -

To build capacity of public procurement stakeholders in the region, the Network endorsed an action plan proposed by the Government of Yemen and complemented by the expertise of the Arab Administrative... Show More + Development Organization (ARADO) of the Arab League. The action plan addresses this common challenge in an innovative way by seeking to partner with key players in MENA (e.g., universities, training and learning institutes, professional associations) who could organize and deliver training sessions, and focusing on the professionalization of the procurement workforce by establishing common standards for those working on public procurement.Members of the Network also recognized that government officials are not the only relevant procurement stakeholders in need of support. The private sector, a critical partner in improving service delivery outcomes and creating jobs, was highlighted as an area in need of regional attention. In particular, SMEs, which account for 40 percent of GDP and 70 p Show Less -

“Al Karama!” – “Dignity!” was one of the main rallying cries of the ‘Arab Spring,’ as thousands of young people took to the streets demanding economic and social justice. Rising unemployment has been cited... Show More + as one of the main causes for the series of protests that launched an unprecedented period of change in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region. As the various transitions continue to unfold, the quest for decent jobs remains a central theme. Jobs provide a livelihood, but they mean much more than a salary: without one, a person can lose his sense of self-worth and fulfillment.In the MENA region, it is only once you can support yourself (and afford to marry, amongst other things) that you are recognized as an adult - and a fully respected member of society. The common fate for the many unable to achieve this is to be relegated to the margins of society. This can lead to great frustration and, as events have shown, also poses a risk to social cohesion and security.Ultimat Show Less -

There are thousands of stories like Rahma’s across the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region, but not all of them have happy endings. A new World Bank report, Opening Doors: Gender Equality and Development... Show More + in the Middle East and North Africa, identifies a whole set of economic, legal and cultural hurdles that have kept the region’s women out of public life and out of the labor market. Reflecting something of a paradox, it also notes that over the last four decades women have made great strides in a number of areas. They are healthier, far better educated and now outnumber men at university level. The report details the multiple challenges women face, but one of the main obstacles is the difficulty of balancing a career with raising a family. This is a challenge for women everywhere, but in MENA it is all too often a stark choice.Only one in four women in MENA are employed or looking for work, which is half the global rate. For young women rates of unemployment are as hi Show Less -

Rapid urbanization and climate change are reshaping and exacerbating disaster risk. Together, they have added urgency to the task of building resilience in communities and countries around the world.Climate... Show More + extremes that we could hardly imagine and cope with every 20 years are going to happen every two years in this century. This is the message of a sobering report from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change about the dramatic climate extremes that are expected to increase around the world.Meeting on the margins of the World Bank/IMF spring meetings on April 20 to discuss the implications of the report for their work on building resilience, donors, developing countries and international organizations reaffirmed their commitment to making disaster resilience a priority in development planning. The group of leading officials also agreed that integrating disaster risk reduction and climate change adaptation into the development agenda is critical to building resilience in communiti Show Less -

Interview with Colin Scott, Lead Social Development Specialist and Caroline Bahnson, Social Development ConsultantHow does this study relate to the core mission of the World Bank in the Middle East and... Show More + North Africa, and how is it relevant to current developments in the region?Colin S. Scott, Lead Social Development Specialist: In MENA, like in any other region, peace and development are inextricably linked. There’s no development without peace, and there’s no peace without development. We’re not arguing that development assistance is the difference between war and peace in the region – many of the causes of conflict are beyond the reach of development assistance – but we do believe development assistance has a contribution to make toward mitigating conflict risk. With the report we wanted to identify what that contribution was, and then see how it could be best achieved.What has the study identified as some of the root causes of conflict in MENA?CS: That really is for our client govern Show Less -

December 9, 2011 - More than a dozen firms vied for contracts on a World Bank-financed transportation project. But that bidding competition largely turned out to be a sham. A Bank investigation revealed... Show More + evidence the contracts were steered to particular vendors in exchange for bribes, kickbacks and payments to designated losing bidders. Ultimately the case was escalated to an independent appeals body – the World Bank Group Sanctions Board. The result: seven firms and one individual were barred from World Bank contracts, two permanently – the strongest possible action.While a press release announced the debarments, virtually nothing was published then about the evidence or deliberations in the case – one of the most egregious that have come before the Sanctions Board – or in similar cases involving errant contractors. As the World Bank marks Anti-corruption Day on December 9, that’s about to change.Under new procedures promoting greater transparency and accountability, the Sanctions Boar Show Less -

Adds World Bank Climate Change Envoy Andrew Steer: "This Climate Change Knowledge Portal enables ministers, development institutions, and non-governmental organizations in developing countries to... Show More + see within minutes what’s going to happen 30 or 40 years from now, based on the best scientific modeling that exists in the world. It’s a great tool for opening up discussion on the issues."Opening Climate Data ‘Increasingly Critical’In the past, a wealth of raw data on climate has been under-used, often ending up as static PDFs or on specialists’ hard drives. The new Climate Portal aims to make it easier to access and use climate information from various sources, including the Bank’s open data catalogue."Opening climate data will encourage experts and innovators, wherever they may be, to come up with new tools for analyzing and managing the effects of climate change,” says Shaida Badiee, director of the Bank’s Development Data Group. “The combination of open data and innovative Show Less -

Feature Story TemplateAn interview with Adriana Jaramillo, World Bank Senior Education Specialist1. What is the relationship between higher education and development?There is a very close link between... Show More + higher education and development. Universities are key institutions that help to create new knowledge, to develop new skills, and in that respect contribute very directly to economic growth, and productivity. Apart from developing the skills and knowledge necessary for economic growth, they also play a critical role in the building of democratic societies.2. What are the investment rates for higher education in MENA, and have they produced satisfactory results?The investment rates in the MENA region are relatively high. If you look at a GDP per capita comparison, some MENA countries are even spending more than the average OECD country. However, when we look at the results, they are somewhat disappointing. There is a lot of evidence that university systems in the MENA region are not giving Show Less -

September, 2011 – Women worldwide continue to be at a disadvantage. They are not equally represented in positions of economic and political leadership, have higher unemployment rates than their male peers... Show More + and are paid less.These gaps have been steadily narrowing across the world as women overcome the cultural and structural barriers to full equality. But in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region, they remain especially stubborn and set against a particularly challenging background of high unemployment overall. To prevent unemployment rates from rising even further, by 2050 MENA will need to create almost 200 million more jobs, three-quarters of them for women.While more than 50 percent of women in all other developing regions are employed or actively looking for a job, only 25.2 percent of women in MENA do the same. Over the last 30 years, female participation in the MENA labor force has grown at a sluggish rate of just 0.17 percent annually. If this rate persists, it will take Show Less -

WASHINGTON D.C., August 9, 2011 – Latin American economies have developed strong immune systems against global contagion but a worsening of the current market turmoil could put those defenses to the test... Show More + said World Bank Chief Economist for Latin America and the Caribbean, Augusto de la Torre.“Over the last 20 years the region has experienced a silent economic revolution that has provided a shield against external shocks, as we have witnessed in the previous crisis and those reforms are still in place ,” de la Torre noted.But he warned that a worsening of the current turbulence -"a global turmoil of immense magnitude”, he said- could impact Latin America’s ability to grow. “Not even the best immune system in the world could withstand these kinds of attacks,” he noted.Such 'worsening' would materialize if rich economies –Europe, United States, the developed countries– dip into recession once again, de la Torre said. Under this scenario a US slowdown would have a larger impact on its Show Less -

February 23, 2011 – An estimated 210 million people are out of work worldwide, the highest level of unemployment ever recorded. Twelve months after a devastating earthquake, nearly one million Haitians... Show More + still live in tents or other temporary shelters. Food prices are spiking beyond the levels of the 2007-2008 food crisis, and the Arab world faces sweeping political change.People worldwide face greater uncertainty at a time when family support and other traditional safety nets have eroded. To better protect people in low- and middle-income countries from economic and social risks and boost their resilience, the World Bank is devising a new social protection and labor strategy that will guide its work with countries and development partners during the next 10 years.The Bank, which has just announced the start of its first round of global strategy consultations, views effective social protection and labor programs as central to its poverty-fighting, opportunity-creating development mission Show Less -